**2.6 Automated hydroponics nutrition plant systems (AHNPS)**

AHNPS was placed in a special chamber or vessel and the nutrients were supplied directly to the hydroponic roots at any given time (**Figure 19**). Microcontroller (Arduino Uno) will control the flow of nutrient solution on the vessel automatically, and the microcontroller can be controlled from Android smartphone. This system had an embedded program module. The microcontroller worked in real time to setup the alarms on nutrient pumps. If alarm is enabled, a relay will be also activated, and then the pump will drain the nutrition solution on the plant. If alarm is deactivated, the relay will be turned off and the pump will stop supplying. Moreover, it has been designed a virtuino application on Android smartphone that serves to check the water level and temperature around the plants. Before starting the design of a virtuino application, it first provides the data storage using the features of thingspeak.com.

The hydroponic flow system starts from the detection of a proximity sensor and a temperature sensor (**Figure 20**). The sensor will detect the water level in the hydroponic tube and the temperature sensor to detect the room temperature. The detection sensor was connected to a relay that in turn was attached to the microcontroller port. When the relay port pin is lower than the specified height, the water flow will be run on the water pump to irrigate the plant. If the relay of port pin is turned on, it means the water level is above of the specified height, and then the water pump will stop being water, in that manner the water flow was regular. Time and date were displayed at any time of the process in an LCD screen. The pumps are used not only to increase water but also to add nutrients to the hydroponic tube. The water pumps were used for water recirculation and relays used to control both nutrient solution as well drain pumps. The system mechanism worked as follows: HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor detected the height value of

**41**

nutrient tube [14].

Celsius degrees.

**Figure 20.**

**Figure 19.**

*Automation and Robotics Used in Hydroponic System DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90438*

*Experimental hydroponic system configuration.*

*Automated hydroponics nutrition plant system.*

nutrient solution in hydroponic plants by the parameter of the high of water (in cm) unit and the temperature. The LM-35 sensor detected the temperature in

The ultrasonic sensors measured the distance of water based on ultrasonic wave. The difference between the transmission time and the reception time became the water distance. The system started working by using of sensors connected to the electrode. The output of this electrode will be forwarded to the microcontroller as an entry point to be processed by the microcontroller. The microcontroller received this voltage signal and compared it with the previous value and decided based on that input signal. Based on this voltage the microcontroller decided whether to drain the water at the pump or not. All the commands on microcontroller (Arduino Uno) can be controlled from a smartphone-based Android. It was observed that this hydroponic plant grows well with proper water and nutrient usage because it is controlled by the microcontroller. The rate of hydroponic plant growth was faster when compared with plants with soil-grown systems. The WiFi module sent the water level information and the temperature values of the plants area. This value was compared to the value in LCD microcontroller and on Android smartphone application. This value is directly obtained from the sensor and sent to the Arduino. After the water level 5 cm in the nutrient tube then the pump stops, and water did not flow anymore. The average temperature for five tests was 28.43°C. The relationship of water height in the nutrient tube with time is recorded continuously by the ultrasonic sensor on several measurements. The maximum level of water was 6 cm in the hydroponic tube. The sensor detected if the water level decrease in hydroponic nutrition tube. If the water level has decreased, then the sensor will perceive what occurs and automatically the water pump will be turned on to increase the water level on the hydroponic

*Automation and Robotics Used in Hydroponic System DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90438*

**Figure 19.** *Experimental hydroponic system configuration.*

#### **Figure 20.**

*Urban Horticulture - Necessity of the Future*

growth period [13].

*Hydroponic system setup.*

**Figure 18.**

features of thingspeak.com.

the total of plant drain degree, plant nutrition degree, plant deterioration degree, plant photosynthesis degree and plant growth degree parameters. After all these processes are completed, reports were produced by the system, based on the plant

AHNPS was placed in a special chamber or vessel and the nutrients were supplied directly to the hydroponic roots at any given time (**Figure 19**). Microcontroller (Arduino Uno) will control the flow of nutrient solution on the vessel automatically, and the microcontroller can be controlled from Android smartphone. This system had an embedded program module. The microcontroller worked in real time to setup the alarms on nutrient pumps. If alarm is enabled, a relay will be also activated, and then the pump will drain the nutrition solution on the plant. If alarm is deactivated, the relay will be turned off and the pump will stop supplying. Moreover, it has been designed a virtuino application on Android smartphone that serves to check the water level and temperature around the plants. Before starting the design of a virtuino application, it first provides the data storage using the

The hydroponic flow system starts from the detection of a proximity sensor and a temperature sensor (**Figure 20**). The sensor will detect the water level in the hydroponic tube and the temperature sensor to detect the room temperature. The detection sensor was connected to a relay that in turn was attached to the microcontroller port. When the relay port pin is lower than the specified height, the water flow will be run on the water pump to irrigate the plant. If the relay of port pin is turned on, it means the water level is above of the specified height, and then the water pump will stop being water, in that manner the water flow was regular. Time and date were displayed at any time of the process in an LCD screen. The pumps are used not only to increase water but also to add nutrients to the hydroponic tube. The water pumps were used for water recirculation and relays used to control both nutrient solution as well drain pumps. The system mechanism worked as follows: HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor detected the height value of

**2.6 Automated hydroponics nutrition plant systems (AHNPS)**

**40**

*Automated hydroponics nutrition plant system.*

nutrient solution in hydroponic plants by the parameter of the high of water (in cm) unit and the temperature. The LM-35 sensor detected the temperature in Celsius degrees.

The ultrasonic sensors measured the distance of water based on ultrasonic wave. The difference between the transmission time and the reception time became the water distance. The system started working by using of sensors connected to the electrode. The output of this electrode will be forwarded to the microcontroller as an entry point to be processed by the microcontroller. The microcontroller received this voltage signal and compared it with the previous value and decided based on that input signal. Based on this voltage the microcontroller decided whether to drain the water at the pump or not. All the commands on microcontroller (Arduino Uno) can be controlled from a smartphone-based Android. It was observed that this hydroponic plant grows well with proper water and nutrient usage because it is controlled by the microcontroller. The rate of hydroponic plant growth was faster when compared with plants with soil-grown systems. The WiFi module sent the water level information and the temperature values of the plants area. This value was compared to the value in LCD microcontroller and on Android smartphone application. This value is directly obtained from the sensor and sent to the Arduino. After the water level 5 cm in the nutrient tube then the pump stops, and water did not flow anymore. The average temperature for five tests was 28.43°C. The relationship of water height in the nutrient tube with time is recorded continuously by the ultrasonic sensor on several measurements. The maximum level of water was 6 cm in the hydroponic tube. The sensor detected if the water level decrease in hydroponic nutrition tube. If the water level has decreased, then the sensor will perceive what occurs and automatically the water pump will be turned on to increase the water level on the hydroponic nutrient tube [14].
